Thursday, 15 May 2008

Defiant Doors

Meanwhile nothing not a morsel on The Canongate Project and its events.

CITY leader Jenny Dawe today clarified her stance on the controversial Caltongate development after coming under fire from opposition politicians.As reported in the Evening News, Councillor Dawe highlighted the £300 million scheme as an example of the "thorny issues and tough decisions" faced up to by the Liberal Democrat/SNP coalition.But former Labour Lord Provost Lesley Hinds – a member of the planning committee – pointed out that party politics should not influence the planning process.Calling on Cllr Dawe to clarify the issue, Cllr Hinds said: "The rules are quite explicit on this issue – decisions made on the planning committee cannot be whipped."But the Lib Dem leader responded: "Of course the planning committee is apolitical, and that's the way it always should have been and will continue to be in this administration. "My point was simply that Caltongate was a tough decision that had to be taken and that now that it's been made, subject to the scrutiny of Scottish Ministers, allows for the re-development of – in particular – an ugly gap site in the heart of the city."